Retimer data communication modules

1. A data communication device comprising:

a host receive section for receiving incoming host data from a host device, the host receive section including a plurality of host receive lanes;

a host transmit section for transmitting outgoing host data to the host device, the host transmit section including a plurality of host transmit lanes and a host cross point section;

a line receive section for receiving incoming line data from a line device, the line receive section including a plurality of line receive lanes;

a line transmit section for transmitting outing line data to the line device, the line transmit section including a plurality of line transmit lanes and a line cross point section; and

a link monitor section coupled to the host transmit section and the line receive section, the link monitor section being configured to detect errors between the host transmit section and the line receive section;

wherein the line receive section comprises:

an analog front end (AFE) configured to process line data in a pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) format;

a digital-signal processing (DSP) module configured to process the line data; and

a decoder configured to decode the line data.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the incoming host data are transmitted back to the host device via the host receive section and host transmit section in host loopback operation.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the incoming host data pass through the host cross point section.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the AFE comprises a variable gain amplifier.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a management interface module that comprises a management data input/out module.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the management interface module comprises a microprocessor unit.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the AFE comprises an equalizer.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the line receive sections receives a reference clock signal from the host receive section.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the line receive section comprises a phase-lock-loop module for generating a clock signal.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the decoder comprises an SFEC decoder.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the line receive section further comprises a PRBS checker.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the line receive section further comprises a multiplexer coupled to the AFE.

13. A data communication device comprising:

a host receive section for receiving incoming host data from a host device, the host receive section including a plurality of host receive lanes;

a host transmit section for transmitting outgoing host data to the host device, the host transmit section including a plurality of host transmit lanes and a host cross point section;

a line receive section for receiving incoming line data from a line device, the line receive section including a plurality of line receive lanes;

a line transmit section for transmitting outing line data to the line device, the line transmit section including a plurality of line transmit lanes and a line cross point section; and

a link monitor section coupled to the host transmit section and the line receive section;

wherein the line receive section comprises:

an analog front end (AFE) configured to process line data in a pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) format, the AFE comprising an equalizer; and

a digital-signal processing (DSP) module configured to process the line data, the DSP module comprising a feedforward equalization module and a slicer.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the link monitor sections the link monitor section is configured to detect errors between the host transmit section and the line receive section and to analyzes error statistics associated with the incoming host data.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the line transmit section comprises a test pattern memory block.

16. The device of claim 13 further comprising a management interface module coupled to the link monitor section.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein the host transmit section comprises four slices corresponding to the plurality of host transmit lanes.

18. A high-speed communication system comprising:

a plurality of communication lanes;

a transceiver being configured to process and transmit host data received from the plurality of communication lanes, the transceiver comprises:

a host receive section for receiving incoming the host data;

a host transmit section for transmitting outgoing host data to a host device, the host transmit section including a plurality of host transmit lanes and a host cross point section;

a line receive section for receiving incoming line data from a line device, the line receive section including a plurality of line receive lanes;

a line transmit section for transmitting outing line data to the line device; and

a link monitor section coupled to the host transmit section and the line receive section;

a management interface module coupled to the link monitor section;

wherein the line receive section comprises:

an analog front end (AFE) configured to process line data in a pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) format, the AFE comprising an equalizer and a variable gain amplifier;

a phase-lock loop module for generating a clock signal; and

a digital-signal processing (DSP) module configured to process the line data.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the transceiver is compatible with 50 Gb/s, 100 Gb/s, and 200 Gb/s communication modes.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the transceiver complies with a QSFP56 form factor.